NAMA explains setback in AIS automation plan

The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), has blamed the delay in the automation of Aeronautical Information Service (AIS), on limited resources, amid other critical needs begging for attention.

Managing Director of the agency, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the agency remains committed to the course, as part of efforts to enhance safety of the Nigerian airspace.

Akinkuotu, at the 2018 World Aeronautical Information Service Day, recently in Ibadan, said NAMA, in discharging its responsibilities of safer airspace, had to juggle so many issues all at once, to keep the organisation going.

AIS is a service established in support of international civil aviation, whose objective is to ensure the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity, and efficiency of international air navigation.

It will be recalled that members of the Aeronautical Information Service Association of Nigeria (AISAN), at last year’s commemoration, tasked the Federal Government on full implementation of AIS in accordance with Annex 15 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

NAMA, last year, also conducted a comprehensive competency appraisal of all AIS officers at airports nationwide, in lieu of the pivotal role aeronautical information plays in safety of air navigation, and readiness for the migration to AIS automation.

Akinkuotu reiterated that the agency is aware of the critical deliverables of the Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) project such as the enhancement of e-NOTAM, e-Flight Planning, e-AIP, e-TOD, e-Charts, e-Flight briefing and so on.

He said given that the digitalisation represents migration to a dynamic data-oriented aeronautical information management system that facilitates the real-time exchange of aeronautical information in an accurate and standardised format from anywhere to everywhere globally, “the automation project is a must-do for NAMA.

He said notwithstanding the scarce resources, NAMA would leave no stone unturned to ensure that the AIS Automation process remained on course and completed.

The NAMA boss acknowledged that training and retraining would also play a great role in equipping AIS personnel to meet the demands and challenges of automation.

He assured that management would do its best to ensure regular training among AIS members across board, in a bid to secure the future of the organisation through proper succession plans.